Volunteer Awards Celebration
Stockport Rocks! is about rewarding and celebrating our invaluable volunteer workforce. Without them, our, over 1,700, local charities, community groups and social enterprises would not be able to run the vital community services that keep our communities healthy, happy and safe.
So we think they more than deserve a knees up celebration!
We worked with Stockport Council, Stockport County Community Trust, Marketing Stockport, Kao Data and a whole host of incredible sponsors to deliver a worthy celebration event for 400 guests at Edgeley Park.
Kell Degnen
‘Kell works tirelessly to improve a piece of land in Heaton Chapel on an estate that is deemed to be a deprived area of Stockport. She has transformed this unloved grassy area into an edible garden with her love and knowledge of the environment and nature. Kell offers the opportunity for local people to volunteer and be upskilled in a multitude of skills and practical knowledge of the outdoor environment. She inspires people to see the beauty of and experience the nature in the garden and surrounding areas on a daily basis. Her passion is incredible and she is a highly motivated person who gets involved in any local projects where their goals align for the good of the environment and people of Stockport.’
Aquinas Students for their work helping to turn plastic waste into art with Plastic Shed
Norman Jones for their dedication to Friends of Heaton Park, Mellor Green & more
David Parkinson for their dedication to cleaning up the streets with Woodley Litter Pick
Gillian Oatley – Lips Inked Arts
‘Gillian is truly an amazing volunteer and an asset to our team at Lips Inked Arts. She originally volunteered for our Sounds of Light music therapy project for bereaved parents in Brinnington and has now progressed to helping out at our Heatons Harmonies music & wellbeing project for elderly residents in Heaton Moor.
Gillian always comes along to sessions with a smile and a helpful hand. She gets stuck right in and does what needs to be done, instinctively! Whether it’s making refreshments, chatting with the participants, or bringing the sessions to life by sharing her many musical talents – singing, dancing & playing the piano!’
James Bamgbose for their dedication to mental health and inclusivity, with Shaw Heath Bees F.C
Parent Angels Team for supporting some of our most vulnerable parents in Stockport to live happy and healthy lives, with Pure Insight.
Will Edge for their dedication to men’s mental health through their work with Mentell.
Bernard Kivel, Heaton Norris Community Centre
‘Since being on Gardening in Stockport for Stockport Council, Solutions Sk and Totally Local Stockport for the past 18 years Bernard has been an outstanding part of the community at Heaton Norris, always friendly and opening to everyone he meets old & new faces, he’s one of the pillars that helps the community grow.’
The Light Cafe at All Hallows Church for bringing the community together.
Seashell Employability Team for their work empowering confident, inclusive employers.
Ashley Walker for their dedication to forwarding human rights and equality, for LGBTQ+ & marginalised groups.
Jeffrey Boardman
‘Jeff is an eighty eight years old man who lives across the road from me. He really looks after all his neighbours. On bin day, he brings my bins back into my garden so they don’t disappear. He receives parcels for me. He always comes out and offers help if I’m doing gardening or trying to lift something in or out of my car. He challenges anyone who arrives at the house when I’m not there and does so in a friendly way. I don’t really need an alarm! He has offered to give me lifts to appointments when I was unable to drive. He’s an absolute gem!’
Irene Holbrook for supporting the Heaton Norris community.
Jacob Gower for tailoring their skillset into something that is genuinely helpful to Marbury Road Edible Garden.
Jerzy Matuszewski for their dedication and willingness to go above and beyond with Stockport Car Scheme.
Annie-Marie Booth, Stockport County Community Trust.
‘Annie has been an incredible support when launching and developing our Parkinson’s UK project at Stockport County Community Trust.
In November 2024, we launched a brand new walking football and physical activity project that supports Stockport residents, their families and carers living with Parkinson’s. We have now supported over forty participants, with a large proportion of the success being down to Annie’s support.
As we launched the project, our Health & Wellbeing Manager was introduced to Annie and since then, she has been integral to the development of the programme, encouraging participants who have never played any form of walking football before, to get involved and become physically active.
Annie is a Stockport resident herself and was diagnosed with Parkison’s in her fifties. Since this diagnosis, having never played football previously, she now represents the England team and has travelling abroad on multiple occasions for international tournaments. Annie is a fantastic example of helping others to become physically active and she’s a brilliant inspiration to us all!’
Kathleen Edwards for their continued hard-work, leadership & dedication to getting people out and about with Walkaday.
Eilidh Brough for their commitment & passion to supporting young people with complex needs at Seashell Trust.
Dementia Disco for providing support to people with dementia and the families of people with dementia through their discos.
Josie Annis, NAPAC
‘Josie is an amazing, selfless person and we are very proud to have her as part of our team at NAPAC. She has a very impressive academic background having recently completed her master’s in forensic psychology. This full-time course was incredibly demanding, but Josie still chose to dedicate her free time to volunteering at NAPAC to take support calls from survivors of abuse. The work we do here is very emotionally challenging and it requires a lot of commitment, compassion and energy from call handlers. Josie is not fazed by this and attends her weekly shifts with a smile on her face. We are always impressed with the way she balances her time and has committed her life and career to improving the wellbeing of others. All of us at NAPAC appreciate Josie’s dedication to supporting survivors of abuse, she has touched many lives, and we know she will continue to do amazing things for others!’
Maddie Bates for inspiring the young people at NK Theatre Arts with their enthusiasm, encouragement and all around care.
Jude Coupe for their hard work, countless hours, and boundless energy supporting and inspiring refugees, migrants & asylum seekers with SREP.
Sandy Warnock for their work empowering young individuals with essential digital skills with MadLab & EquiBee.
Josie Simms for their dedication to supporting individuals with complex special educational needs, with Seashell Trust.
WINNER
Stephen Davies, Headway Stockport
‘Steve Davies is a major force at Headway South Manchester and Stockport! He joined the charity in it’s inception 40 years ago, as a member, he quickly started taking on the role of volunteer and member representative within the Board of Trustees. Steve is the ‘go-to’ person at Headway Stockport – he is involved in all aspects of the charity and supports everyone who walks through the door in need of kindness and care. Steve’s own brain injury meant he could no longer work. He soon started to devote his time to Headway and the empowerment of it’s members, as well as supporting the charity with fundraising activities to ensure sustainability for the future. Forty years on and Steve is still volunteering and making a great difference to the quality of life of our members.’
Jean Milns for over 30 years work with Friends of Tangshutt Park and more.
Pamela Johnson for embodying the values of Smart Works through their selflessness, reliability, and genuine care.
Christine Fitzpatrick for 15 years of service at Stockport Women’s Centre, sharing their wealth of knowledge and skills with others.
Terry Guy for their commitment, kind, caring and calming nature supporting Stockport Women’s Centre over 16 years.
Lizzy Akindele, Stockport Race Equality Partnership
‘I am honored to nominate Lizzy for the Unsung Hero Award at the upcoming Stockport Volunteer Awards. Over the past 15 years, Lizzy has demonstrated unwavering dedication and creativity in her volunteer work, profoundly impacting our community. She started with EaICO and continued with SREP, she is a humble but straight-forward individual, who wants the best for every one. She is a single mum with 3 children one with a disability.
Lizzy established and lead the sewing projects that have empowered at least 130 women from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Through these initiatives, she has provided a platform for personal expression, skill development, and emotional healing, and a sense of belonging and achievement among participants. In addition to her work with women, Lizzy has been instrumental in preparing and distributing meals to elderly residents, doing welfare checks and ensuring that they receive nutritious food and companionship. Her efforts have alleviated isolation and enhanced the well-being of many seniors in our community.’
Jane White for her at Ohana Arts to provide a safe space for every child who needs it.
James Frizzell for keeping Banter & Brews financially on the straight path with his due diligence and professional approach.
Lesley Wyatt for supporting Stockport’s most vulnerable residents to feel heard, supported, and valued at AGE UK Stockport.
Noreen Dillon for helping people to access services and improve financial security at Brinnington Big Local.
David & Anita Hird, Chelwood Foodbankplus
‘David and Anita Hird (husband & wife) came to Chelwood during covid and were blown away with the work we were doing & wanted to be a part of our team. They have raised in excess of £50k with their famous black and white balls, and multiple other targeted amounts, for our other projects. David has real passion and his cheeky chappy persona brings much joy to his fellow volunteers. David does so much behind the scenes for other organisations in Stockport too, and is a celebrity in his own right throughout Bramhall.’
Karishma Chandaria, Louise Salvaterra and Susan Jones for coming up with clever ways to get Heaton Chapel residents over barriers, feel included and part of a true community.
Rotary Cheadle Royal for raising money to support a trip to Blackpool for people with dementia & their carers.
Vanessa Tolan for being an integral part of running Together Trust’s online charity shops.
CDL for their work with Seashell Trust.
‘Colleagues from the Stockport-based tech company CDL have generously volunteered their time in 2024 to support our charity, the Seashell Trust, making a real and lasting impact. They have rolled up their sleeves to take on outdoor gardening and campus maintenance tasks across our extensive 30-acre site, brought enthusiasm and energy to our on-site inclusive sport and leisure holiday camps, and spread festive cheer by donating Christmas trees and decorations in December. They even dedicated a volunteer day to travel down and decorate them for our residential students, many of whom stay at Seashell over the holidays.
We deeply appreciate the support we receive from corporate companies that actively encourage volunteering and run well-organised corporate volunteering programmes. Among the many incredible corporate volunteers who supported us in 2024, CDL’s commitment and generosity stood out the most.
From everyone at Seashell, thank you so much CDL—we truly appreciate your kindness and hard work, and we look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership in 2025!’
Vernon Building Society for always being willing to get involved in community events that take place in Reddish.
SKY for playing a pivotal role in the growth of the Age UK Stockport community hub.
NHS Property Services for their consistent and wonderful support for the past three years, averaging 6 volunteers twice a month at Friendly Fridays.
Stockport Pride
‘Stockport Pride is a vital and inclusive organisation that has made a profound impact on the local community. Through its annual Pride event and year-round initiatives, it aims to provide a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, foster acceptance, raise visibility, and celebrate diversity.
Entirely volunteer-led, Stockport Pride works tirelessly to promote equality, challenge discrimination, and bring people together. Its events not only offer entertainment but also provide access to essential resources, support networks, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. By collaborating with local businesses, charities, and public services, Stockport Pride strengthens community ties and that promotes Stockport is a place where everyone can feel valued and included.
I believe that the dedication of its volunteers, the positive impact on people in the borough, and its unwavering commitment to equality make Stockport Pride deserving of the Voluntary Organisation of the Year award.’
Reddish Men in Sheds for adding so much value to each person they support with their ‘Bike Giveaway’ scheme.
Brinnington Big Local for bringing people and organisations together to help the community to thrive.
Heaton’s Repair Cafe for creating a welcoming place where the community come to get a repair done, saving 19,670kg carbon emissions.
Bernard Kivel for his dedication to Heaton Norris Community Centre and the neighbourhood around it.
We are temporarily without a home as we wait to move into our new office in the new year.
This means that our old phone number is no longer in use. Please look out for our new number, which we’ll have in the new year.
We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
We are still contactable via email on support@stockportvolunteerhub.org.uk
